We have truly reached a tipping point. Recurrently Americans have joined together in a populist movement to advance the interests of "the people" against "the elite." Today, after many years of struggle, that new populist movement is rising to defend and expand Social Security. And the politicians had better lead or get out of the way.

The concept of increasing Social Security has been around for a while. Strengthen Social Security, a coalition of 320 groups, reviewed the program's ability to meet current and future needs and concluded that benefits should be increased rather than cut.

It's common to cite Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security as cushioning the burdens of old age and providing access to otherwise unaffordable health care. But how often do we think of them as protecting our backs in an uncertain, risky, and rapidly changing global economy?

The pundits will be predicting doom and gloom for sure. Not only did we fail to win the House back in a good Democratic year, they will remind us, but in the sixth year of a presidency the president's party almost always loses seats.

If Obama's re-elected and we're still suffering in 2016, as now seems likely, our "electable extremist" Paul Ryan will be in the perfect position to become the next President. Heads we win, says Corporate America, and tails you lose.

The anti-Social Security privatizers, through their various "think tanks" and talking heads, have spread so much misinformation about the program over the last three decades, it is no surprise that so many people are confused.

Those who wring their hands about the long-term budget deficit act as if the deficit problem is intractable, and conveniently forget that only a decade ago President Clinton left office with federal surpluses as far as the eye could see.

It is up to the Democratic Party -- the party that brought us Social Security and Medicare -- to do better, to stand proudly and confidently behind a broad, positive agenda that is good for Americans of all ages.

I'd like to pose this question to everyone who has proposed cutting Social Security benefits: Why are you against this simple, clean, and popular idea? It's a sincere question. I'd really like to know.

George Bush, Republican icon, is the gift that keeps on giving. He's returned, on a silver platter for Democrats, telling voters that his greatest failure while president was not privatizing Social Security!